Cowboy wrestling (9-0, 5-0 Big 12) faces its second consecutive ranked opponent Sunday, hosting the Iowa State Cyclones in Stillwater. It marks OSU’s first dual in Gallagher-Iba Arena since the Dec. 9, 2018, rout of Oklahoma. The Pokes have nine listed starters in the rankings this week, and ISU brings five to the dual, including two in the top 10. The NWCA Division I Coaches Poll keeps Oklahoma State in third this week behind Penn State and Ohio State.

The Basics

The dual marks the 83rd meeting between the two storied programs, with the most recent favoring the Cowboys, 31-3, at home just less than a year ago. OSU leads the series, 59-20-3, with the most recent loss coming in 2010 in Stillwater. Oklahoma State’s lineup contains 10 ranked wrestlers at various weights, and Iowa State brings five top-25 wrestlers to the contest. A win this weekend would tie John Smith for the fifth-most Division I coaching wins in history, putting him at 421 all-time dual wins with Jack Childs (Drexel) and T.J. Kerr (CSU-Bakersfield/San Jose State).

What to Watch

No. 4 Nick Piccininni notched his 11th technical fall of the season last weekend at Pittsburgh. Piccininni is tied for the most overall wins on the team (21) with two teammates, holds the most dual wins for the Cowboys along with Jacobe Smith (9), leads all wrestlers in bonus-point wins (17), technical falls, dual takedowns (27) and dual nearfalls (11). Jacobe Smith leads all Cowboys in major decisions with six and continues to wrestle up a weight at 184, where he’s ranked 10th in the country. Wyatt Sheets made his dual debut at 157 pounds a week ago in Morgantown, defeating Zach Moore, 3-0, before taking out Pittsburgh’s No. 10 Taleb Rhamani, 9-3, with a late third-period takedown and nearfall.

Approaching 100 Wins

Cowboy senior Chandler Rogers and junior Kaid Brock are only nine wins shy of reaching the 100-win milestone in the OSU orange singlet. All of Rogers' wins this season have boasted bonus points, including 11 falls, two technical falls and a major decision. The 11 pins are only two shy of his season-best 13. Brock picked up two falls at West Virginia and Pittsburg last weekend, marking his first of the season. He spent narrowly more than three minutes total on the mat. With the second half of the Cowboys' schedule getting underway, both wrestlers have plenty of opportunities to join the 100-win club and position themselves among the ranks of more than 40 OSU wrestlers who reached the milestone in their careers.

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Author: OSU Athletics

Fans and alumni of Oklahoma State University have long been blessed with one of the nation's most well-rounded athletic departments. From bowl games in the fall and Final Fours in March, to the College World Series in June, the cheering, and winning, never stops in Stillwater.